Biting 2
by ShipMistress
Summary: Hiccstrid-Modern AU-vamp!cup-Sequel to HeathenVampires' Biting. Hiccup knows that he has to leave. He can't take away Astrid's life, no matter how much she wants it. But will he be strong enough?


**Another one-shot I wrote for a prompt on Tumblr. It was "Please don't walk out that door." and, well, this is what came out. In a way, it is a continuation of HeathenVampires' one-shot "Biting" (with his approval!), so we have vampire!Hiccup and human!Astrid in a modern AU. Angst and Fluff and Romance. Hope you like it ;) **

**. o O o .**

**Biting 2**

For a seemingly never-ending moment, he just gazed down at her. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful, the pale moonlight gleaming on her skin. He could literally spend eternity just watching her.

Except that she wouldn't be here that long.

A pained noise escaped Hiccup's throat. It wasn't his real name, of course. After centuries wandering this world, he couldn't remember what his real name once had been. But even though he mostly tried to blend in, he sometimes amused himself with throwing people off by picking the most ridiculous name possible. _Hiccup_ certainly had served him well.

Except for the one who hadn't been thrown off; not by the name and not by anything else. Not by his icy skin, his never-changing body, his inhuman strength, or by the fact that, more than almost everything else, he craved her blood. That he could easily kill her if he ever lost control for only a second. She'd stayed with him, even after she'd learned what he was, had never looked at him as if he was a monster. With her, he'd felt human again, something he'd thought he'd lost ages ago.

Carefully, he let his fingers glide over her face, memorising her features without ever touching her. He didn't want to wake her, didn't want to draw it out. He'd already stayed longer with her than he should, longer than with anyone else before her. And she would stay with him until the end of time, Hiccup was sure of that. Never before in his existence had he met someone as intriguing and fascinating as Astrid. She was fierce and courageous, but also soft and loving. She was beautiful, but it was more than just her golden hair and blue eyes that reminded him of the long-lost summer days, the blue sky and the golden sunlight. No, her beauty reached deeper, beneath her skin. She had a beautiful soul, and no matter how long he kept wandering, he would forever treasure her memory.

But he couldn't stay any longer. Already, he'd influenced her life for long enough. It wasn't fair to her to linger, to let her fantasise about him changing her, when he knew that he would _never_ take her life.

Oh, she didn't see it like that, but he knew better. Being a Vampire didn't mean eternal life. Never feeling the warm sunlight, never tasting all those fascinating dishes mankind had invented, never seeing a sunset again. Never hearing the laughter of your child. Wanding among those who fear you, smelling their blood. Fighting the urge to kill every single one, just so the thirst would lessen for a little while. No, that wasn't eternal life. It was eternal sorrow.

"I shouldn't have let this happen again," he murmured under his breath. His sharp eyes wandered over Astrid's lithe body, covered with nothing but a thin blanket that left little to the imagination. He remembered how, only a short hour ago, he'd made love to her, that sweet sweet cry she'd given when he'd taken both her blood and her pleasure. Being intimate with a human was the only indulgence he allowed himself every now and then; not only for the desire but mostly for the company. It was an elusive escape with how quickly humans grew old and died, always painful to return to a place only to realise that the one he'd once known had passed away, and the short-lived happiness was barely ever worth the eternal sense of loss.

But with Astrid, he hadn't been able to resist. Her radiant smile, her sharp humour, her witty comments, everything about her had drawn him in right from the first day he'd spotted her across a street. The joy she'd brought him over the months was invaluable, especially after she'd found out what he was and hadn't fled. She was wonderful, perfect, everything he wanted. He wasn't able to resist her.

And that was why he had to leave. Now, before it was too late. Every night she asked him to change her, and every night he told her _maybe_, that he would think about it.

But it was a lie. He didn't need to think about it. He wouldn't change her, _couldn't_ change her. She thought she'd be happy to spend eternity with him, but she didn't know what she was offering to give up. And Hiccup knew that he couldn't take it from her.

But he felt that his resolve was wavering, that her pleas hit him harder and harder with every time she asked. Tonight, in from of that mirror, he'd almost given in. He'd noticed how her hands had fluttered up, had known what she wanted. She wanted him to bite her _for real_, to infect her too. And he'd almost done it… The temptation was there, to create himself a companion, someone to share eternity with. But no matter how much he wanted it to be her, he _couldn't_ do it! She didn't know what she was asking for...

Hiccup bent down to kiss her one last time, barely even touching her lips. It was more like the ghost of a kiss, a shadow. Just like him. Then he straightened again, turned, and walked away. It was better this way. She would be hurt when she woke in the morning, alone. Maybe she would cry. It was possible that she'd waste months, maybe even _years_ looking for him. But in the end, it was better this way. She would heal, would love again. She would _live_.

When he reached the door, his eyes were burning. He couldn't produce tears anymore, but if he could he knew that his cheeks would be wet. He didn't want to leave her, ever. But it was the only way. Resisting the urge to turn and look at her one last time, he reached for the door handle, and-

"Hiccup?"

It wasn't often that something took Hiccup by surprise anymore, but Astrid's quiet voice did it. He froze, cursing his own reluctance. If he'd left only a few minutes earlier…

"Hiccup, where are you going?" She sounded tired, voice still heavy with fatigue.

Slowly, almost against his will, Hiccup turned to look at her again. All Gods above, she was so beautiful. So strong, yet so vulnerable as she gazed at him, her eyes widening with realisation.

"No," she gasped. She scrambled out of the bed they'd shared, but stopped when he made a step backwards, toward the door. He had to leave, couldn't stay, shouldn't linger…

Astrid didn't come closer, but from one moment to the other, it seemed as if all strength left her. The pain in her eyes almost killed him.

"Please," she begged. "Please don't walk out that door."

Astrid was strong, but she had no chance against him. She couldn't keep him from doing what he wanted, couldn't force him. She was only human. And yet, she held an irresistible power over him. He should leave, just turn and disappear from her life. But he just couldn't.

"I have to," he whispered. "It's been going on for too long already." He met her eyes, trying to convey everything he felt for her. "I love you, Astrid, and I always will. I will never forget you. But I can't stay any longer. I almost-" he broke off, biting back what he'd almost let slip. That he'd almost changer her tonight.

But Astrid seemed to understand anyway. Her eyes widened in surprise, joy and hope dancing behind them. "Please," she implored. "Hiccup, please. Please do it!"

"I can't," he replied sternly.

"Why not?" she nearly whined.

"I already told you why," he sighed. Why was he still here? "You are too young, you still have a whole life ahead of you. I won't take that from you, Astrid. I won't!"

"But I don't want it." Her voice was low, though not weak. Slowly, she made a careful step in his direction. Then another. He should simply leave, she couldn't hold him back, but he _couldn't_. "I don't want a life without you in it. It's not worth it."

"Astrid," he began, but she interrupted him directly.

"No, I mean it. I've thought about it long enough. I don't care for a boring normal life. And I know that… that being a vampire isn't easy. But it's a burden we can carry together, you and me. We can share it. Please, Hiccup. I never want to be parted from you, not ever."

She was almost close enough to touch him now, and he feared and craved her touch alike. If she only so much as touched his skin with her sure and warm fingers, his resolve might crumble. He wanted… wanted… wanted...

"Please do it, Hiccup." She was right in front of him now, her hand on his chest where once his heart had been beating. Her warmth seeped into him, strong and sure and confident. And he knew that he wasn't able to resist her.

It happened without a warning. In one moment, they just stood there, half a step apart. And in the next, he held her in a tight embrace, rendering her unable to move. His mouth was on her neck, cold lips ghosting over sweaty skin, before his fangs dug into her. He bit her deep, deeper than ever anyone before. He could taste the difference immediately, the fresher blood from her artery so full of life that it made him moan.

So… good...

It was overwhelming, so much stronger than he'd anticipated, and he had to fight to make himself stop. By the time he could think straight again, he was kneeling on the hard ground, Astrid's limp body in his arms. For a short, horrible moment, he feared that he'd taken too much after all, but when he quickly checked her over, he relaxed again.

It had worked. He could still hear her steadily beating heart, but also could already smell it on her blood, the virus, the curse. She was infected, the change beginning already. Swallowing, he searched for her eyes, afraid of what he might find there. But when their eyes met, hers were gleaming.

"Thank you," she mouthed, her body too weak to produce sounds already.

He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. "For you, my lady, everything."

Carefully, he lifted her body off the ground and carried it back to the bed. She was trembling all over, the virus working quickly. It wouldn't take long.

"Now rest, my love," he murmured into her ear as he lay down by her side, holding her. "I'll take care of you, and when you wake, I'll be here. Forever."

**. o O o.**

**So, yeah... hope you liked it! ;) **


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